Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1887-07-23
pocomokc Neck and syke.'

'Tis said, that the greatest room in
the world is for improvement. In my
meanderings through Accomac. Of late
have noticed almost everywhere marks
of progress; but it is more noticeable Ill
some parts than others. L wish to call
attention especially to What is known as
Pocomohe n eek III this letter, including
Sykes Island. Starting ut the river by
tht store of Capt. Gaskins, with the
road running by Pocomoke church. by
the new Baptist Church to Marsh Mar
ket, including the entire neck between
the pocomoke, and MessDngo creeks,
there is 10 section of AccOmac covering
the same amount IF territory, that has
made The same amount of Improvement
in ten years, and excepting Roanoke
City, there is perhaps no place in the
State that has made 80 much Substan-
tial development. Some evidences of
improvement. A few years ago there
was no school in that country. Mrs.
Hall was teaching one near the line to
which few of the children could GO
The rest were left to be educated, or left
in ignorance just as the parents chose
a good school house WIS built IN the
neck. First they had but one room and
one teacher. q Miss Robins. Now they
have very crtditable graded school,
taught by Mr.. Kellam and Mrs. Lewis.
LII the place Of no School OH the island
they have good one aud they are clam
Uring for a graded school there. THEY
are becoming educated, not merely a
few but the masses.
The great circulating educators are
doing their work there. The ENTER
PRISE is in many houses. Nor is the
local lEipers alone. Many of the lead.
ing secular and religious journals CAL bt
found there also.
p Where there were but two stores a
few years ago on the mainland and one
on the island, now there are nine Oh the
mainland and three OH the island per.
hapS all oyerSupHy-wllere there was nc
mantua. maker or millinery establish
ment in that section, now there are two
good ones.
The Eastern Shore Steamboat Com
pany from their wharf at Sanford, for,
merly called Hammock, the schooners
pungies, slOops ETC., convey from hele
to the cities. both land and water pro-
ducts.
When thirteen years ago the petition
was gotten up first to make a public
road to the Hammock and then one tc
Sykes Island many thought it useless
expense. To-day the taxable property
OH The island and along the Hammock
road is more than treble in value whatii
WAS then.
Jenkin s Bridge was the nearest post
Office few years ago. Now there are
three within this territory-Marsn
Market. Sanford and Sykes Island.
PocOmoke church has been enlarged
by the removal of the yeStibule. a new
and attractive Baptist church has been
erected, ard Sanford church, a commo'
dious and comfortable Methodist churct
III which Rev. MIR. Carroll is holding d
great revival, is not yet finished. On
the island they built new church q
few years ago, but they have outgrowl
it and ,Se talking Of building again.
The dwelling houses few " arS.agC
were unattrautive, and many of them
uncomtol table. TO day they are not
only comfortable but tasty, and many Of
them would be attractive anywhere
What has brought about the changei
is a question we may appropriately ask.
The railroad has had nothing to do with
it, for the further you get from the road
the greater the improvement. Immi'
grafton has had but little to do with it
The few THAT have come would be al
honor an where. AccOmaC Can boast ID
no cleverer people than the Williams, OF
more industrious than the Husseys
But very few have come. Nor have tht
times teen more favorable. But there
WAS material in them TO work up
and the church, 1.-The school and the press
have worked it up TO y wOnderi III extent
With them Instead of drunkenness
there Is sobriety-instcad of Asiitss
rlheIe Is cn,rsy-ipstedd Of thuughtless